A Bad Direction
by emmaplodocus
Summary: Glee is too cool for Kurt to be allowed to join, bullied relentlessly he finally finds himself in the club but it's on less than favourable terms. It seems all he can do is count the days until graduation. Until the new guy transfers. T for violence.
1. Chapter 1

There is something wrong with me.

This happened. I am so sorry I started something else but rather than hide it in my computer I might as well post it! The glee club members aren't very nice here, glee is popular and Kurt is truly alone. This will be in 3 parts, so here is the first, let me know if you would like to read the rest and have a happy weekend!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kurt stands up with the rest of the school and claps along at the glee club's latest performance. They had been amazing, like always. He claps half-heartedly, grabs his bag and slides out of the gym where the latest pep rally was being held. It was last thing on a Friday and the next biggest hockey game was tomorrow morning, everyone in the school was happy to miss out on the last couple of lessons of the week but Kurt just wanted to get home. It isn't fair that they can't control the jocks and the cheerleaders from ditching class to do whatever they want but of all things a pep rally is mandatory attendance.

Unfortunately he was followed. He had hoped that this weekend he would be allowed to go home unharmed in the chaos of the pep rally, but Kurt had really bad luck.

He gets to the parking lot and hears raucous laughter behind him, he looks round wildly and tries to get to his car, but someone strong and twice his size is gripping onto his arm and yanking him to the side near the dumpsters.

Nathan, one of the football guys opens the lid to the dumpster and scowls.

"Damn they've been emptied."

Kurt has no time to feel relief, because Puck, the guy squeezing his arm so hard it will bruise speaks up. "Throw him in anyway, who cares. Plus it's Friday, it'll give him something to remember us by over the weekend."

Kurt was terrified, being thrown into a dumpster usually hurt somewhat, but however disgusting it was he usually at least had something soft to land on.

Puck was on the football team, he was tall, threatening and was also in the Glee club, that made him a prominent member in the schools two most popular teams which means he can get away with doing whatever he liked.

And what he liked doing, was torturing people.

Puck throws his bag to the side and Nathan picks it up, opens it and throws Kurt's belongings in every direction he can. Puck grips him underneath his armpits hard and Azimio, a massive lump even bigger than Puck was, sweeps up his feet with no effort at all. They swing him back and forth to tease him and Kurt closes his eyes and feels himself soaring the short distance through the air before he lets out a yelp of pain as he lands on his side and his head and arm feel the cool impact of the metal.

The laughter starts again, there's more voices than before. He squints up to see that Finn has joined the scene as well as a couple of others. There's choruses of 'see you on Monday fag' and finally, he is left alone.

He was lying there for ten minutes before he managed to move. He banged his face and it hurts so much he knows it's going to bruise, he landed on his wrist is his failed attempt to protect his face which also hurts but he's had it twisted before and thinks he might be lucky enough for it only to be a normal ache.

He stands carefully and now realises he's going to have a problem in getting out of the dumpster. He has to hoist himself up in the corner because usually he had something to stand on to help him out. He gets out but he lands roughly on his hands and knees. He's glad to be out of that foul smelling and slimey dumpster. He's still on his hands and knees, his head is spinning and he feels like he's going to be sick. He can't move.

He can hear the football team laughing at him and shouting from where they stood watching his failed attempt to climb out.

"Bet you're used to that position!"

His cheeks are burning and he is utterly humiliated but his embarrassment doesn't out measure his pain so for the moment, he stays where he is, taking deep breaths and trying to figure out if he has a concussion or not. He just hopes that their fun has been had for the day.

He sees his bag out the corner of his eyes and blinks back tears, because he now has to walk round and collect his belongings. He's just glad he stopped keeping his phone in there after they stole his number and made horrible house calls.

He just wants to go home. Home to his dad. Home to Friday night dinner.

Shit!

Shit.

His dad's girlfriend and son were coming for dinner tonight, that's the last thing he needs when he needs to explain his new bruise, his lateness and his smell to his dad.

Carole, the woman his dad was seeing, was a lovely woman and Kurt was so thankful his dad had met her, only she came with baggage. That baggage was Finn Hudson and he was one of the guys who had stood by and watched, stood and laughed at what he had just been through. Sometimes he even joined in. By the standards of almost everyone else on the team he was kind, he humiliated him and hated him just for being gay - for being different, but was almost always absent whenever they guys decided they were bored enough to actually beat him up. Still, the thought of Finn watching him right now, and laughing and then going into his home and eating his food and talking to his dad was enough to make him want to crawl back into the dumpster.

Kurt had been horrified to find out that he was related to the woman he taken too so quickly who made his dad so happy, but he promised himself he would never tell his dad, it was more important his dad was happy.

Kurt wanted to cry at the injustice of it all but had to get through dinner first, he could do that later. Now he sees that thankfully the jocks had departed which means Finn must already be on his way to Kurt's house.

He eventually gets up and gathers his things, his head is thumping but he's been concussed before and pretty sure he knows the difference now. He drives carefully and lets out a growl when he sees Finn's car is already parked outside his house.

He enters and straight away his dad is there, he will have been waiting.

"You're late." Kurt carefully takes his shoes off and tries to do it without whimpering, his hand still hurts, he takes his time because he knows as soon as he sees his dad he's going to have to have the same conversation he has had increasingly often once more.

"Kurt what the hell happened to your face?"

"Nothing dad, don't worry. I'm going to shower and then I'll start dinner okay?"

"Kurt!"

Burt's hand gently tilts his son's face upwards as he examines the bruising.

"Oh you poor thing!" Carole's there and her concern, unlike her sons is not fake.

"What the hell happened?"

"Just another dumpster toss that's all. I slipped on something in there and banged my face on the side, nothing else was hurt - soft landing you know?" Finn looks awkward but relived and Kurt wants to yell at him that he isn't lying for him, he's doing it for his dad and his heart.

"Finn do you know anything about this?"

He shakes his head at his mom who is fondly playing with Kurt's hair.

"Finn…if you see who it is doing this to him I want to know okay? So I know who to kill."

Finn stammers, "Of course Burt."

"Kurt honey you go shower, let me cook okay? I know you do it most nights anyway so it will be a nice change for you."

The more Carole assimilates herself into their lives like this the more he has to put up with Finn, but he loves this woman who makes his dad happy so he nods and thanks her and rushes to the bathroom so he can rid himself of the stink everyone was too polite to mention and cry quietly whilst he sits at the bottom of the shower.

Carole cooks a wonderful dinner and Kurt is fast to place himself next to his dad and opposite Carole - as far away from Finn as he can get.

Kurt is quiet throughout dinner, he's trying to stop himself from scowling as he listens to Finn talk about what a wonderful time he has of it at school just because he's tall and straight. He's talking about glee club and Kurt contain the look of horror that forms on his face when his dad speaks.

"Kurt you've always loved singing I don't see why you don't join."

"Dude you sing?"

Kurt ignores Finn because the less personal information he acquires about him the better.

"I wouldn't exactly be welcome there dad. I don't have any friends in that club."

It goes unspoken that he has no friends period.

"Well I'm sure you'd make some easily enough if they heard how good you are. He can audition right Finn?"

Finn to his credit, does not show how horror stricken he must feel at this suggestion and smiles as widely as he lies.

"Of course!"

"Dad I'm pretty busy right now, I'll think about it though okay?"

Burt seems placated at this and Kurt, although the food is lovely, feels like he has lost his appetite.

He has always wanted to join glee club, but it has always been one of the most popular clubs, after Mr Schuester took it over they had made it to nationals every year and every year they got closer to winning, New York nationals last year saw them finally take the title. Kurt had always loved to sing, it gave him joy and he was good at it, his voice could go both high and low, and he wasn't a bad dancer either. It made him so jealous that the place in school that had potential to let him be happy held half of his tormentors. He was good enough to get in but would be physically pushed from the doors if he wasn't laughed away first.

No, he had a year and a half of being alone left before he could get out of Ohio, and that was it.

xxxxx

After school on Tuesday Kurt is grabbed and forced into an empty classroom. He shouts and struggles but stops when he sees it's just Finn. Even if Finn hurts him it won't be as bad as anyone else, but he still backs away, he's trapped but he won't make it easy for Finn to catch him.

Kurt and his dad had gone to Carole's house for dinner last night, they were seeing more and more of each other and it just made Kurt anxious.

"Relax I'm not going to hurt you."

Kurt laughs. "Right. So that means your friends are on their way and you're just going to watch." He moves to the window and tried to open it, thinking he can climb out and make a run for it.

"Your dad spoke to me last night. Wanted me to see if I could find out who was hurting you. Said he was going to start coming to school to see if he could see anything for himself."

"Oh. So in here, people can hurt me without my dad seeing and that will save your ass. Let me just hang around until they come just to make things easier for you."

"Look, you obviously don't want your dad to know about me because you would have told him otherwise. I don't want my mum to know either - she'll kick my ass and I'm happy that her and Burt are together even if it means getting stuck with you."

"Oh you are so sweet. Minus the fact it sounds like you're trying to blackmail me somehow."

"I can get you into glee club. I can't stop them from harassing you unless you change your identity but I can get the worst of it off your back as long as you're in glee."

"Why would you do that?"

"I just told you why."

Kurt cannot believe he used to have a crush on this guy. Fortunately for him though having someone empty a slushy all over your face kind of kills any positive feelings you have towards them.

"Listen come with me to glee now. I am going to talk about you like you're not there and you're just going to shut up and take it."

"It won't be worse than the stuff you have said to my face."

"You had better be good at singing or nothing will get you in."

"Glee would be lucky to have me."

"Well however good you are you won't be doing any singing."

"What?"

"Dude you'll be lucky just to be seen with us."

"That is ridiculous I know no one likes me but if I'm good I can help you win!"

Finn backs him into the wall, all he needs is his height to threaten him, Kurt quietens down instantly. "Listen to me my reputation is on the line for you so be happy I can get you in and shut the hell up or I'll make sure you regret it, remember Puck and everyone else in that club won't stand for you trying anything. Just make sure you tell your dad I got you in alright?"

Kurt nods.

Every time he has daydreamed about being in glee club, doing it by force and promising to stay quiet so his dad wont find out the boy who will probably be his stepson in the future ever hurt him, wasn't how he imagined it.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Rachel Berry, one of the most popular girls in school was looking at him in disgust. She was going to Broadway and everyone knows it, Kurt is just as good - if not better than she is but he will never have the opportunities she has had that all colleges search for. "Finn, why would you bring him in here?"

"Guys Kurt's joining glee club."

"Nice joke Finn, you lured him here, now let's go lock him in a locker."

Sam and Puck walk up to him threateningly and grab his arms, Kurt's struggling like hell - they're right, how could he have been so stupid? Obviously this was a trap.

"I'm not kidding."

"I have no problem with him joining," Quinn was smirking and Kurt knew she definitely did so whatever she was about to say wasn't going to be nice. "I'm all for more girl power within the club."

Everyone laughs and Kurt snarls at her and manages to pull away from the idiots gripping onto him in their distraction.

"Screw you Finn, I'll manage without this, you'd just better hope my dad doesn't find out."

"Guys look. Kurt's a lost cause but my mom deserves a good guy and that's Burt. His dad is fricking scary I can't have him find out I have anything to do with him getting hurt."

Artie scowls. "Come on man the guy is such a loser."

"I'm not agreeing to this if it means he's off limits."

"Look, he's not off limits at all, just keep the really bad stuff to a minimum and do it where it doesn't leave bruises his dad can see."

Thanks a lot Finn. Kurt scowls at him, Finn is so spineless. These were the exact reactions he had been expecting about Finn's stupid plan.

"Guys. I like Burt he's good to my mum and if I do this he'll be good to me. He was talking about lurking around the school and trying to catch people and he'll have us kicked out off glee and off the football team instantly. This way we're safe."

Mike shrugs, "as long as he can sing I don't care who joins I just want another nationals trophy under out belts."

Thank you! Mike, was the best out of all of the football players, he was quite, hung out with his girlfriend Tina a lot who was also nice and in glee, he was popular and actually stayed away from all the bullying full stop - he knew about it, of course he did - even the teachers did so Kurt wouldn't hold that against him- but he had never even been there to stand idly by throughout it and Kurt will always be thankful for that - it's as nice as anyone in this school ever gets towards him.

Mr Schuester walks in at that moment.

"Oh brilliant, hello Kurt!"

Rachel sniffs. "Kurt is auditioning, although it's doubtful he can live up to our standard."

"Okay well I'm sure you'll be great Kurt, do you have a song prepared?"

"Yes I have."

Kurt sings and he is fantastic. He shows off his range and no one says a bad word about him afterwards, had he made even a little slip up he would have been ridiculed so he knows he killed it.

Now Brittany, was the only cheerio he didn't mind. And it was her who sealed his fate in the New Directions.

"I think Lord Tubbington would like you."

"Thank you."

Mr Schuester was the only other person to look happy. "Well it looks like we have another member! Kurt I'm so glad to have you with us - you should have auditioned sooner your range is incredible!"

No one clapped. Everyone's expressions ranged from jealous and sour to disgusted.

"Finn you owe us for this." Mercedes had a brilliant voice, and she knew it.

Apparently Kurt's reputation outweighed his talent.

"Guys do it for me his dad's really scary - I'm not lying! And he can sing…"

Rachel snapped. "Look we all don't get enough solos as it is! Kurt you can stay as long as you shut up. We could use more back up dancers."

Santana snarled at her, "Berry you get more solos than anyone, he can have yours!"

Kurt has no idea how this group is so successful if this is how all their practices go.

Kurt makes his way to the back row so he can still down, but a foot kicks out and catches him in the ankles, he hit's the ground and everyone laughs and pretends it was an accident. He catches Finn's eye when he stumbles to his feet, but Finn just shrugs as if to say this is the best he can do.

In truth, it probably is.

xxxxx

"Hey dad. So I spoke to Finn today…"

"Kurt I -"

"It's okay dad, don't worry I'm not annoyed."

"I didn't know if you were going to be mad or not."

"Finn got me into glee club! Well he got me an audition - my voice got me in!"

Burt hugs Kurt, "I'm so glad son! Do you…do think that it will help?"

"I hope so."

"Kurt if not…we're going to have to really think about moving you out of that school."

"I'm okay dad, I promise. Thank you." Kurt would love to move schools but it would be too much stress for his dad for him to ever agree to ia transfer.

Kurt thinks the conversation is over, but his dad gestures for him to sit down. "Kurt how do you feel about Finn, really?"

Kurt knows this conversation has been a long time coming. He knows his dad is serious about Carole, he will take any shit with Finn he has too for his dad to be happy, so he lies through his teeth.

"We don't…we don't have much in common at all…but I like him dad. And I love Carole."

"Thank you son. I just want you to be happy again Kurt."

That is all Kurt wants for his dad. He and Carole both deserve to someone to love - she had lost her husband just like Kurt had lost his mom, if he had to put up with Finn and being bullied for a bit longer he would do it with a smile on his face as long as his dad was happy. Besides, he can't move out to college and get as far away as he can if it means leaving his dad alone.

xxxxx

It only takes the second glee club meeting for Kurt to get threatened.

Everyone except Puck, Sam, Finn and Artie have left and Kurt knows whatever this is it isn't good.

Turns out, Puck needs homework help.

Kurt closes his eyes in pain as his head bangs against the wall until he is literally shaken back to reality.

"Listen if Finn says we cant knock the shit out of you then alright. But it doesn't men we can't make your life a living hell. If I'm not going to be getting my kicks by kicking you then I want something in return - it's only fair, right?"

Kurt swallows. "What do you want?"

Puck takes a green folder from his bag and slams it into Kurt's chest who opens it suspiciously.

"This weeks homework. I want Bs in everything or else my teachers will get suspicious."

"I don't, I don't take psychology…"

"Then you'd better study hard, right?"

Kurt nods and puck laughs.

"Sweet. You might be tempted to do a poor effort, but if you do, I might have to call your dad and have words about his little girl. Okay? This whole thing is about him not worrying about you isn't it? I'll give him a reason to worry."

He grabs Kurt's jacket and pulls him forward to thrust him back into the wall. Kurt feels dizzy and scared. Is being threatened like this really better than what he was going through before? Probably, but only just.

xxxxx

True to their agreement - of that was even the word - Kurt had not been beaten up in the three weeks he had been in glee club. He was forced into doing other peoples homework and feeling tired and stressed because of it - but he didn't exactly have any friends or anything he was missing out on…he was just so frustrated. Glee is the only thing in this entire school that has the potential to make him happy and no one is interested in having him sing because why they let the school fag be their front man? He just had all of his suggestions ignored and had to make sure he learnt the dance moves for their routines. He was still being shoved around and slushied and he was still miserable but the look of joy on his dad's face the couple of times Finn and Carole had joined them for dinner again, when both boys spoke of their now mutual club was enough to keep him going.

Things had changed as much as a backwards high school like this ever could.

At least that's what Kurt thought, until one of the most gorgeous guys he had ever seen walked through the glee club's door one day and changed everything.


	2. Chapter 2

Not much to say except a massive thank you! Hope this doesn't disappoint!

xxxxx

Kurt wasn't exactly a proper glee club member since he was showered with glares every time he opened his mouth, but you didn't need to be to know that Mr Schuester was beaming with excitement that usually only came with an extremely anti-climactic assignment idea.

"I have a new member for us!"

"Mr Schuester you have got to top with this ridiculous notion you have that anyone can join us!" Rachel looked directly at Kurt when she said this who just sent her a glare in return.

He had been quick to realise that the glee club members were so cutthroat the insults he got in here were almost normal.

"He is not just anyone! In fact we already know how talented he is!"

Kurt raises his eyebrows in interest, for Mr Schuesteur to be this enthusiastic he's practically bouncing on his toes, this guy must be good.

There were some good looking guys here, sure, but they were masked by their ugly personalities. Kurt had that misguided horrendous crush on Finn but that was long since dead and buried, he had resigned himself to the fate that there was no one for him in all of Lima netalone this school.

But this guy, the one that Mr Schuesteur was beaming about, was gorgeous. And this guy was fashionable, he was smart, he had a grey and green cardigan on and grey pants and gelled hair of which you could just make out the remnants of curls peeking through.

Kurt could fantasise and stare at him all he wanted until the guy settled into the school wide ritual of only paying him attention when they were taunting him. Until then…

Artie snorts. "Mr Schue you cannot be serious. Dude, are you even any good? He looks like his grandmother dressed him."

Blaine seems confident, but he isn't cocky when he speaks. "Well I was lead soloist for the warblers."

Mercedes laughs, "We beat you guys."

Blaine isn't phased by this, nor by how disinterested in him everyone looks. In fact, he smiles. "Ah but you looked pretty worried when you were waiting for the results. We were good and you know it. I'm happy to prove it right now again and sing. Besides, you're the ones who sent Mohawk over there to spy. The warblers have always been confident enough in their abilities not to snoop so low. Guess you were feeling a tad threatened?"

Rachel's face is quite funny. Kurt sees her open and close her mouth a couple of times before she smoothes out her horrendous pink skirt like she brushes off the truth in Blaine's words. "Well, since you so clearly have spying on the brain how do we know that isn't what you're doing now?"

"Guys his transfer papers are legitimate. Blaine you will be a valued new member to our team. We should be set for Nationals this year guys! Blaine why don't you sing your audition piece anyway and start us off?"

"Sure!"

Blaine gives off the unbelievable kind of energy that is infectious, his rendition of teenage dream eventually has everyone dancing in their seats and the guy seems to have a permanent smile on his face. He is gorgeous. Curly but controlled black hair and lovely eyes and he dresses so well. Most of the guys in this school dress like they raided their dads closets or took a bet to see if they could fashion an entire wardrobe for twenty dollars. He was now the second most fashionable guy in this school - after Kurt himself, of course.

Blaine finishes his number to a round of applause that has sealed his fate as one of the new elite in the school.

Kurt will probably hate him soon enough.

xxxxx

Blaine seems like an insanely nice guy. Brittany loves him, probably because he is always smiling, Santana likes him because he's hot, the guys like him because apparently he boxes - which is just what Kurt needs, for someone to do that properly and not as a hobby whenever they see him - in one way or another he has generally won everyone over.

He even speaks to Kurt. He strolls into the choir room on his second day at school and they're the only ones in there, he sits next to Kurt and smiles widely at him as he offers a greeting.

"Oh, urm, hi." Kurt replies timidly.

"I'm sorry, I'm useless, what's your name?" Kurt can feel his cheeks colouring, no one actually uses his real name, not with too many slurs they can use instead, there's no wonder Blaine doesn't know it, plus Kurt had been too intimidated to introduce himself.

"It's Kurt."

Blaine extends his hand for Kurt to shake who is so incredibly shocked at a boy wanting to intentionally touch him that he hesitates, and then he jumps when he hears the others loudly entering, Puck and Sam are being loud and obnoxious and Kurt takes one last look at Blaine's hand and turns away, it wouldn't do either of them any good for him to touch him right now.

xxxxx

"Kurt you've been spending far too much time doing school work lately, you're so stressed - it isn't good for you. Please take a break."

"Dad it's okay, don't worry."

Burt takes the pen from Kurt's hand and lays it on the table. "You're going to the mall with Finn. He's going, he said he'd be happy to take you with him."

"I - what?"

Finn's in the room now, pulling on his jacket in the background. He scowls when Kurt looks over in surprise but smiles when Burt turns round and puts on a fake cheer his dad apparently can't see through. "Yeah dude, it's totally cool. Get you out the house for a couple of hours you know?"

Kurt wants to stick his pen in Finn's eye but his dad looks so hopeful that Kurt will leave the house with someone his own age and do things he's supposed to that he can't find it in himself to let him down. So he agrees. Finn heads out to the car and his dad catches Kurt in a hug, "Just give him a shot alright? He seemed happy to go with you, maybe you'll both have a good time, and it would really mean a lot to me and Carole as well just to know you tried."

"Okay dad. Maybe I can get him to wear something other than denim, you never know. "

He walks to the car, climbs in and can't help but worry Finn might actually dump him on the side of the road somewhere.

They don't say a word to one another, everything goes unsaid. When they arrive at the mall a couple of the glee lot are already gathered at the entrance and Finn is quick to correct any assumption they might have that Kurt will be staying with them.

"Relax he's not hanging with us."

Kurt feels a pang in his chest when he looks around at everyone there, he wishes he could be accepted by this club, but he isn't.

"Be back here in three hours."

"Okay."

"Bye." Finn's tone is clipped and Kurt knows he's been dismissed. Luckily, he loved shopping. He would go and see a movie for a couple of hours to take his mind off the fact that he would be the only person there seeing a movie alone.

xxxxx

Kurt crashes into the lockers and slides to the floor. Usually he can deal with a locker slam but it's the third one today and his back really hurts. If he gets shoved once more today he's going to have a hard time hiding it from his dad. He has to be careful as well because of the increased amount of time he was spending with Carole, she might notice something if wrong with him and if she did she would tell his dad instantly. His dad had been comforted by the apparent willingness of both him and Finn to be friends and Carole had been around a lot. Kurt really liked her, and he was glad his dad had someone. But having an extra pair of eyes on him judging his answer when asked if he had a good day at school or not, wasn't going to do him any favours.

"Oh my god, are you okay?"

Kurt didn't even look up, no one ever asks if he's okay. He sees a pair of shoes stop in front of him and then he sees knees as someone crouches down next to him. He looks up out of sheer surprise, no one would go to the effort of crouching to humiliate him further when they can just kick him on the way past.

Blaine is crouching in front of him and Kurt now understands every cliché he has ever heard because for a moment it feels like he has forgotten how to breathe.

His eyes are gorgeous.

"I…yeah. Thank you."

"Here." He extends a hand to help him up. Kurt is very conscious that this is the second time in a week that Blaine has offered to touch him, and this time he shyly accepts the offer, standing up and brushing his clothes off desperately trying to not make it obvious his shoulder hurts.

"Thanks."

"Are you on your way to glee, shall we walk together?"

"Yeah, okay." Kurt, has a lot to say and no one to offer it to, Kurt is smarter than most people in this school and usually suffocates in his silence, but now, with this lovely and so far kind boy next to him, he has no idea what to say.

"So today is usually when you get an assignment for the week, is that right?"

"Yeah. It basically depends on how Mr Schuester is feeling at the time or what he's seen on T.V that week. The week before you came it was songs from our past"

Blaine laughs. It's good natured and not directed at Kurt's expense. It makes him realise that he really is lonely.

He hopes with everything he has that he isn't making fun of him.

They enter the glee classroom and they're the last ones to get there, everyone greets Blaine and ignores him. Blaine indicates two seats next to each other at the front with Artie and Sam but Kurt shakes his head and points subtly to the back where he usually sits, he feels anxious having everyone looking at him - they were probably waiting for Blaine to push him over or something. What he wasn't expecting was for Blaine to follow him up the steps and settles next to him.

"Wow, I guess he is short of ideas." Blaine whispers as Mr Schuester writes 'soundtracks' on the board.

That's the first time Kurt has smiled in glee club so far.

xxxxxx

It isn't unusual for Kurt to walk into glee and have everyone go silent, but that didn't make it any less suspicious when it happened.

"Okay. Let's practice our assembly song, I want it to be perfect just like it was last night!"

What assembly song and what extra practice last night?

Kurt looked around wildly, everyone was getting into position and Kurt had no idea what was happening, he had obviously missed something big. He stands, but hovers because he has no idea what to do. Mr Schuester calls him over and requests they talk outside. Quinn shoots him an evil glare and Puck is snickering and Kurt realises with a sinking feeling in his stomach that he is the only one to have missed whatever this is.

They stand outside and Kurt experiences something for the first time ever - disappointment from a teacher.

"Kurt you have a lot of talent and it really looked like you were going to be a promising member of this team when you joined, but we didn't take nationals last year by being lazy and I'm shocked you missed all three of those extra practises. There is no way you could possibly catch up in today's session alone and we have to be absolutely perfect in these performances is we want to keep all of our funding. I'm afraid there's no point you being here, you'll have to sit this out - I cant have anyone being so unprepared in front of the whole school."

Mr Schuester is a genuinely nice man, but he is as useless and clueless as any other teacher in the school and is either oblivious to the divide within the glee classroom or just does not care.

Mr Schuesteur is an idiot.

Kurt is floored. His heart sank. This would have been the first big performance he would have been a part of since joining glee cub - it would have been a chance to prove himself and he wishes he could have been a part of it. Now though he's missing out and in trouble. Maybe they're thinking that he would get thrown out if they did stuff like this more often, they probably just thought it was hilarious.

His eyes were watering and the teacher seemed to soften. Kurt's eyes always go red whenever he is close to tears, it's one thing that always betrays how upset he feels even though he tries to keep a brave appearance.

"I can…I mean you haven't had a chance to see this yet but I'm a quick learner…maybe I can get the choreography down fast."

"Kurt…principle Figgins wanted us to perform tomorrow because he has visitors coming to look round the school…I really don't think there is any point in you staying."

Kurt nods sharply. "Okay. I'm sorry. I…didn't get the message. Maybe next time anything extra has been added to the schedule you could tell me about it - directly? To avoid confusion? I genuinely didn't know."

Mr Schuester almost looks sorry. "Of course Kurt, I'm sorry about the mix up."

Kurt turns to go back into the choir room - he's tempted to leave his bag and go straight home but come tomorrow his bag would be nowhere to be found if he left it there. Everyone laughs at him when he enters. He stalks straight past them and collects his bag.

He hears someone snicker, "well at least that's one performance we don't have him in."

He shoulders his bag and manages to keep his composure as he leaves but he knows his cheeks are burning from humiliation.

He walks as fast as he can to his car but just as he reaches the parking lot he hears a voice calling after him. People don't usually call him by his name, still he keeps his head down and quickens his pace and almost reaches his car before whoever it is catches up to him.

"Kurt!"

Kurt jumps violently as someone grabs his arm.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"Blaine! Hi!" Kurt bends down to pick his car keys up that he dropped in his surprise. Blaine makes him nervous - it's ridiculous really because they guy has been nothing but nice to him but Kurt can't shake the notion that that doesn't mean he won't change so he steps back and waits to see what the other boy wants, hoping he can get away if he has to.

"Can we talk? Go for coffee maybe?"

"What? You want to go for coffee with me?"

"Yeah. Can we?"

"Why aren't you in glee?"

"I'll explain over a coffee?"

"I -"

Blaine looks genuine but Kurt just can't understand what he's doing skipping an apparently important practice and asking Kurt to have coffee with him.

"The Lima Bean? I can drive us if you want?"

"No! I'll, I will meet you there." Maybe he did just want to talk - why lure him to a public place stricter than school? Still, just in case, if he has his own car then he won't end up stranded…

Blaine smiles and moves to his car. "See you soon."

Kurt has no idea what he's doing. He has never been for coffee with someone before. He can't even fathom how this isn't some kind of joke but something inside of him - some naive, pathetic and lonely part of him, which is most of him - hopes that maybe Blaine will just want to talk to him. Even if he insults him, if he escapes unharmed physically then it would be a step up from being in school.

They sit opposite from one another, Kurt sitting straight backed and tense and Blaine sitting straight but with ease and confidence Kurt will never have.

"Kurt…you, you weren't at those practices…"

Kurt tilts his head and looks up in shock, because Blaine isn't laughing.

"I didn't really think much at first about how quiet you were. Everyone in that club has a stick up their ass…I just thought you were not talking to me because you didn't care you know? But I asked about you, when you weren't there for the practices and they said you didn't talk to anyone at all…"

"I bet that's not all they said."

Blaine winces but he's honest.

"I was censoring, yes…"

"So why are you talking to me?"

"Kurt…what they did - keeping that practice from you, it wasn't funny. For years I went through having shit like that pulled on me, but then I started to box and I started to stand up for myself, and…look it's taken a lot but I am done with being bullied and I will not sit by and watch you go through what I went through."

"You were bullied?"

Kurt's pretty sure his mouth's hanging open like an idiot. People like Blaine, beautiful, confident, kind and popular people do not get bullied.

"Kurt I'm gay."

"No you're not." Kurt claps a hand over his mouth in embarrassment at the statement he let slip.

Blaine smiles and ducks his head as he laughs softly, "Kurt I assure you I am."

"It doesn't even matter if you are though. You're okay. The girls love you and you fit in with the guys, you can get away with being gay. You should just go back to glee."

The other reason that makes Blaine being the only other gay teenager in all of Lima a disappointment is because Blaine is so unattainable to Kurt. They're in different leagues entirely.

"I was the front man for the warblers - one shitty school show means nothing. Talk to me Kurt."

Kurt's hand closes around his coffee and he has to remind himself that polystyrene cup cannot withstand him clenching his fists around it in anger. "They'll hate you, you know, if they find out you had coffee with me."

"No Kurt, I hate them."

"Please…just, if this is a joke, tell me, humiliate me and get it over with because I can't handle this if you're just messing with me."

Blaine frowns and leans across the table, he grabs Kurt's hand, squeezes it and strokes his skin softly with his thumb. This gesture alone is enough for Kurt to make him trust him but it is gentle and caring and the kind of physical intimacy no one else has ever shown him.

"Have courage."

"It's hard to have courage when no one cares you know?"

"I do know. But I'm here now, and I care. I want to be friends."

"I've never had a friend before."

Blaine smiles even though his eyes are sad, but Kurt feels light…maybe he can make it through the rest of school if he has someone. Especially if that someone is Blaine.


	3. Chapter 3

One more part after this :)

I am so sorry for the ridiculous delay in ANYTHING but I had uni work to do and then I have had so much trouble writing – but I finally got this out and now I'm going to get the next chapter of my kidnapped Blaine story out if it kills me. Thank you for reading – if you still are and I am genuinely so sorry for the delay.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Now that everyone has preformed their assignments apart from Kurt, he will do his and then we will talk about ideas for nationals."

"Mr Shcuester that won't be necessary!" Rachel bounced up, "Kurt hasn't been feeling too well and I don't want him to strain his throat." She plucks the board pen out of the teachers hand and begins to write on the board, "here is a list of ideas I have for nationals!"

"You have?" The attention of everyone is now upon him and he feels his face burn right down to neck, the scowls he sees are enough for him to start to answer and agree to her lie. The choke in his voice does make it sound like he's ill.

"That's probably best then Kurt, we all need to be on top form for Nationals."

Blaine's voice beside him is shocked and indignant. "Kurt you aren't ill!"

"It doesn't matter Blaine." He whispers back as Rachel chatters on over the noise of her annoyed classmates.

It has been a week since he and Blaine had gone for coffee, and they had gone twice more after that initial time. Blaine was insistent on trying to help Kurt but that involved talking to teachers who already knew he was bullied and did nothing and talking to his dad who Kurt adamantly refused to bother.

"He obviously cares about you Kurt!" Blaine had insisted, to which Kurt had quite forcefully told Blaine that he cared about his dad very much in return - too much to put his health at risk by making him worry even more than he does already.

Blaine understood how useless the school was because he attended a public school before his private one but he doesn't understand Kurt's reluctance to tell his dad or how truly powerless in this place he actually is.

Blaine confused Kurt. Kurt didn't understand why someone who had apparently been bullied in their past would willingly paint a target on their back by being his friend. He was either too oblivious to notice or genuinely didn't care.

Kurt loved the idea of having a friend but he was being realistic by being wary of getting too close because even if Blaine was being genuine, that didn't mean he wouldn't leave him when things got tough and they were bound to since no one wanted Kurt to have friends.

xxxxxx

"Give it back!"

He knows protesting is pathetic, but just saying nothing proves even further how powerless he is. So he shouts at the jerks that are tossing his bag around and watches them scatter the contents into the main dumpster. He thinks they're going to throw him straight in after the contents but instead they push him around - knock him into the metal side and taunt him and then when they get bored they leave.

"You want your stuff back, climb in and get it."

Kurt sits in his car for forty minutes and waits so no one comes back to do something more to him and so he can wait and avoid giving them the pleasure of seeing him climbing into the dumpster voluntarily.

They do get bored enough to leave eventually and Kurt climbs out of his car and lifts himself into the smelly, mouldy, dumpster.

Voluntarily getting into one is a whole new level of humiliating.

He collects his belongings as quickly as he can, trying not to heave at having to root through the garbage bags. He was used to being in there - but he could never be used to the stench.

The voice makes him jump violently and he whirls around in shock. "Kurt what the hell are you doing in there?"

Kurt can't believe this is happening. He's already humiliated enough and all he can do is stammer out a counter question because there is no plausible excuse for anyone to be in a dumpster, ever - and if there was, the person being asked for it would not have to fumble for it as he was now.

"Why are you here so late?"

"I tutor after school for extra credit, but I'm a lot more curious about why you're in that dumpster." He puts his fingers on the edge of the dumpster so he can pull himself up and peer inside and what he sees is Kurt clutching a notebook and his backpack and it is very obvious someone has thrown his stuff in there.

"Who did this?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Of course it does. Have you got everything back?"

"Yeah." Kurt lowers his bag outside the dumpster thankful nothing was broken this time. He had been hoping to avoid anything to do with dumpsters after Finn had warned them all about his dad but obviously they thought this was too funny to resist.

Blaine extends a hand to help steady Kurt but he shies away.

"You don't want to touch me, I'm dirty."

Blaine scoffs and helps him out, "Don't be ridiculous."

Kurt doesn't think it's ridiculous when everyone at school avoids touching him apart from when they're causing him harm for a reason much more ridiculous than the fact he is now covered in dumpster scuzz.

"Thank you."

"Did you want to grab a coffee or some food or something? I'd like to be able to cheer you up."

"I urm, I'd love to. I really would, but we're having a family meal tonight and Finn and Carole will already be there, I can't be any longer or my dad will worry."

Blaine scowls. "It's so messed up Kurt -there's no way your dad would let Finn anywhere near you if he knew! Not if he's as brilliant as you say."

"What's messed up is the fact I can't leave Lima if my dad is by himself. Finn might be a dick but Carole is wonderful."

"Can I text you?"

"Why would you want to?" He blurts it out without thinking and wishes he hadn't because the look of pity on Blaine's face is enough to make him feel immensely guilty. "I'd love it if you did Blaine."

"Okay, I will. You can vent about Finn to me."

"I will."

Kurt has to leave then, as much as he would love to stay with this somehow kind boy he has to go home and pretend to be happy about the company in which they're now keeping more and more often. He has some body spray in his car which he hopes is enough to mask the smell lingering from the garbage while he rushes inside, greets everyone, hugs his dad and heads straight for his bedroom under the pretence of wanting more comfortable clothes. Thankfully dinner passes without incident, but it's when Burt and Carole decide they'd like for them all to watch a movie together things get awkward.

Kurt and Finn end up on the couch together. Finn is already occupying more than half of it and Kurt grabs the blanket off the back of the couch he always curls under when watching a movie and cautiously sits down at the other end bringing his knees up to his chest.

His stomach sinks when he feels Finn move away, making it look like he's giving him more room but the smile is false and Kurt knows he just doesn't want to sit too close.

Bruce Willis is attractive at least so die hard is one of the better film choices and Kurt's happy that a movie at least means they won't be talking.

Carole is making popcorn and his dad leaves the room to grab a beer, leaving Finn and Kurt together. Kurt is pointedly ignoring the other boy and checks his phone as the screen lights up announcing he has a message. Finn snorts.

"Who's texting you? Wrong number?"

"Blaine actually."

Finn scowls. "I really don't know what's wrong with that guy he has so much potential."

"I can see how him being a decent human being would throw you off."

Finn opens his mouth to spit out a reply but stops when Burt and Carole come back into the room.

The movie ends and Kurt can't wait to curl up in his bed but instead of getting their stuff ready to leave Carole is sitting with Burt, holding his hand and Kurt and Finn are being drawn down in front of them to have a serious talk about something. Both the adults look so earnest and nervous that Kurt knows before they even say a word what it is they will say and it is the thing he has been both hoping for - for his dad, and dreading - for himself ever since he realised his dad's feelings for this lovely woman with a horrible son who sits in front of him now.

"We want to try living together for a weekend. As a trial run. Take all the time you need to think about it, and if the answers a no then that's okay we want you to know how important it is for you both to be comfortable. We don't want to rush into anything okay. Now Carole and Finn are gonna go home and we'll talk to you separately and give you time to think and you can let us know, okay?"

"No!" Everyone looks at him - Carole looks shocked and Burt frowns and Kurt hastens to continue. "I mean, no, it's fine. I don't need to - I think it's a great idea and I'm glad you two are getting more serious and are giving us time to deal with it first. I don't know about Finn but I'm okay with it."

Finn nods beside him, and Kurt knows he must be thinking along the same lines as he is, because he knows that Finn hates him but also knows Finn likes Burt.

"Yeah. We can give the weekend a try."

"Thank you boys."

Kurt will do anything for his dad. Even this.

xxxxxx

It's Thursday afternoon before anything happens between him and Finn. Obviously Finn is too embarrassed by the idea of living in Kurt's house for a weekend that he hasn't told anyone and it isn't until the end of the day on Thursday that he finally corners Kurt. He has a slushie in one hand but only needs the other and his sheer force of body to shove Kurt against the lockers and Kurt is getting really sick of this because it seems that no matter what, the same spots on his body are always, always hit,

"Listen. Mom says we have to share a room, I want to get this sorted now - you don't look at me, you don't talk to me and you don't touch me okay?"

"You're the one pressing up against me now and you're worried about me pouncing on you?"

That earns him another shove but it does make Finn back up, like he forgot that attacking someone involves touching them.

"If I have to live with you then I can do it without liking you and you only get one warning about staying away from me. This is it."

Just then the football team walk round the corner and Finn smirks, he reaches his hand up and Kurt flinches, whipping his head to the side but Finn grabs his hat and empties the slush into it. Kurt stares at him in disbelief because it is such a juvenile thing to do and he only realises a second too late what is going to happen next - Finn forces his hat back onto his head.

The laughter fills his ears around the same time the ice does.

Kurt shudders because as relieved as his face is this still isn't exactly much better. He's shoved to the floor before they leave him alone and he holds the hat on his head until he can tip his head over the sink in an attempt to save his shirt. He closes his eyes and waits for the laughter to come when he hears the door open but a quick glance shows him it's Blaine.

"I thought I saw you sneaking in the girls room."

Blaine nudges Kurt into a plastic chair in front of the sinks and teases his fingers through Kurt's hair under the running water trying to get all the clumps of ice out and Kurt thanks a God he has no belief in his hair is not blonde and focuses his remaining energy on not moaning aloud because of how good Blaine's hands feel in his hair.

Kurt pulls out the little hand towel he keeps in his bag and tussles his hair dry with it. He tries not to look at himself in the mirror because he's certain he looks as miserable as he feels.

"Who did it?"

"Finn."

Blaine scowls and takes Kurt's hand. Kurt wants to rip his hand away just because it feels so strange and yet he also never wants to let it go, he likes the feeling of someone voluntarily touching him like this, especially Blaine.

"Come on. Ring you dad and tell him you'll be late home, you can come to my house."

"Really?"

"Yes really. I'll drive you back later to get your car."

Kurt's stomach flips at the idea of this wonderful boy wanting to spend time with him and inviting him into his home and it takes no more persuasion for him to start calling his dad.

"Hi dad it's me."

"Kurt are you okay buddy?"

"Blaine's asked me if I'd like to go to his after school, it's okay right?"

"Of course kid. Have fun alright?"

His dad sounded too happy at this development - it's the first time Kurt's been invited over to someone else's house, and whilst his dad knows it and is okay with the fact because Kurt has been talking about his new friend Blaine for the weeks he has known him, there is no way Kurt's telling Blaine that.

Blaine's room is lovely. It is grown up but not stuffy, it is comfortable and mature but filled with random bits of clutter that makes Kurt smile. Kurt loves it instantly.

"I really like your room."

"Oh thanks. Here." Blaine hands him a dark green towel and stands out the way of a doorway in the corner of his room which apparently leads to a small bathroom that includes a shower. "I thought you'd like to shower."

"I'd love one! Are you sure?"

"Of course." Kurt steps into the immaculate bathroom and sees Blaine has his hat in the sink, pre-treating it in an attempt to get the blue out in a naive attempt to remove stains someone who has never experiences being slushied can make.

For some reason it makes Kurt blink back tears, it's such a simple and kind thing but it means so much and he can't articulate that because he's never had to before to someone other than his dad he just awkwardly thanks Blaine and says he's ready to shower and stands in there alone looking at his stupid ruined hat before he gets into the shower and realises that apart from when he is at home, he hasn't felt as safe as this in years.

Kurt runs the soft towel through his hair and stands awkwardly in the doorway of the bathroom until Blaine gestures for him to sit down on the bed. They put Blaine's ipod on shuffle and laugh at all of the random stuff on there, a rap song and a classic broadway song follow each other and it seems like for every eighties song there is a top-forty number and he has just as many Disney ones too. Kurt has a brilliant time singing along to the random tracks and laughing just as hard.

Blaine sighs, "See this is what glee should be about – this is more what it felt like in the Warblers."

"How so?"

"Well we were really formal, everything way done by vote and we had a council that decided on who got solos but we had a damn good time – McKinley is…bitchy."

"Bitchy is giving that hell hole too much credit."

"Has it…has it always been that way for you?"

Kurt wants to tell him to shut up, he's never opened up like this before, but Blaine has these wonderful eyes that seem to almost sparkle and he cannot bring himself to shut Blaine out when he is the first person who isn't his dad to want to be let in.

"Pretty much. It's why I want my dad to be happy…at whatever cost. I can't leave him alone Blaine, but if he's happy then I can get to New York where I can finally get to be happy too."

Blaine scoots towards him on his bed where Kurt has wrapped his arms around his legs, and he pulls Kurt's hands towards him and rubs them gently.

"I want you to be happy now."

In that moment, looking up at this stupidly nice and impossibly gorgeous boy, Kurt knows he is screwed.

xxxxxx

Blaine and Kurt are driving to the Lima Bean, it has been a week since Kurt went to Blaine's home and Blaine has been to Kurt's in return – his dad was ecstatic to see him with a friend. Of course he never said as such but Kurt knew. Blaine had been charming and kind to him and attentive and caring towards Kurt and Burt had been suspicious but completely taken with someone willing to kindly touch his gay son.

That night he had told Kurt that it was good to see him smiling again and Kurt had resolved, even harder than ever to make sure that his dad was happy. So he had asked him when he was thinking about doing the trial weekend with Carole and earnestly spent time with Carole whenever she visited – they cooked and watched television together and Kurt genuinely liked the woman.

Blaine was talking about the rehearsal they had just had – it was another follow on from another afterschool one they had and Kurt had proved he was more than capable of keeping up with everyone else – he had even suggested some moves for the choreography that Mr Schuester had loved - much to the distain of everyone on the team apart from Blaine.

"I mean Rachel is probably the worst person I have ever had to work with. She is brilliant, she is so talented and I cannot believe she can hit a high F but man, is she annoying!"

Saying someone was annoying was Blaine's version of being extremely mean so Kurt was too amused at Blaines's unintentionally sugar coated bitching to censor what he was saying.

"I can hit a high F too."

Luckily they were sat in the parking lot at this point because Blaine stares at him wide-eyed and slightly slack jawed and Kurt blushes obviously because he isn't used to people staring without disgust in their eyes.

"Are you serious?"

Kurt nods. "You should hear me sing defying gravity."

"Everyone should!"

"As if people don't think I'm enough of a girl already."

All throughout coffee Blaine shoots Kurt's looks and Kurt knows he is thinking about something – hell, he looks like he is planning something and the idea is making Kurt slightly nervous.

On the drive back, Kurt has a thumping heart as he swaps Blaine's ipod for his own and hooks it up to his radio, he thumbs through it for the song he wants and holds his hands together in an effort to quell his nerves. If he can't do this with Blaine then he won't be able to do it with anyone else.

He signs his heart out and nails that high F and the look of pure excitement and amazement that floods Blaine's face makes his nerves completely worth it.

xxxxxx

Blaine slings his bag to the floor beside Kurt's seat in the library and flops down next to him – the picture opposite of his usual composed self."

"Are you okay?"

Blaien lays his head on the table and Kurt pulls the corner of his binder out of the way so he doesn't poke his eye out. "I got almost no sleep last night and right now I'm thinking about skipping just so I can nap in my car."

Kurt awkwardly pats him on the top of the head, still unused to touching people like that but is relieved and a little thrilled to see the corners of Blaine's mouth turn up at the touch. "You're a good student – you'd never do that."

"I can change."

"I'd rather you didn't!"

Blaine is smiling widely at him now, turning his face on the desk to stare up at him when he sits up straight all of a sudden and yanks the binder towards him, his eyes scanning the page before a frown ruins the atmosphere.

"Kurt you don't take psychology, so tell me why you're writing an essay for Miss Henshaw's class?"

"I, er…"

Kurt's stuck. He has no explanation – he doesn't even have a lie.

"You're doing that for someone else. Who is it? Did they threaten you?"

"Look Blaine – you don't understand -"

"I understand perfectly. Come on, we'll go and tell Miss Henshaw right now and she can fail whoever it is and then they'll get what they deserve and you don't have to worry yourself sick over work you aren't getting rewarded for!"

Blaine stands in determination but Kurt lays a hand on his and shakes his head.

"No."

"Kurt, come on and it will get sorted out."

"Yeah and I'll get the shit beaten out of me and my car vandalised and my stuff ruined and this isn't Dalton Blaine!"

Blaine looks saddened at such a reaction but is clearly still determined and Kurt needs to get him to abandon any ideas of how rational schools and students should work because his health is at risk if Puck doesn't pass this class.

"Blaine, I would rather be used by them and ignored by the rest of the school than go back to how things were before Glee. Doing someone's homework is a small price to pay and if I would rather do this essay than get beaten up then I just really hope you respect that choice. I hope you understand."

"Kurt of course I understand." There is a degree of hurt in Blaine's voice that Kurt can relate too and he realises that it is there because Blaine was bullied too – Kurt forgets sometimes, that something as wonderful as this boy in front of him can be bullied as well.

"I've been in glee club two months and my regular beatings have been downgraded to locker slams and slushies and the odd punch and this is as close to happy as I will ever get in this school so it is what I will take."

"This has to stop!"

Kurt's trembling fingers scramble to collect his things, "No Blaine, you have to stop thinking that you can fix you when you can't. A deal has already been struck and I'm coming out of it quite well. You're the only friend I have ever had and you already so, so much for me…I don't think you realize just how much. But this is something you can't put back together, it's the better option and you just need to understand that I will never be popular like you and I will never be able to go to a school where I feel safe and until you I never thought I would even have a friend…so just please Blaine, I know you are trying to help, but the consequences will be much worse than an extra few hours in the library here and there okay? You have to understand that."

Kurt walks off, so he can give Puck the completed essay and is tripped up on his way out the library. Blaine has seen – he must have and Kurt hopes, as he limps away, that is served to solidify his point, this is as good as things could be right now and nothing could be done to make a positive impact, so why should he makes things worse by trying?


End file.
